The Wedding That Was - April 2, 1976

 Wedding Day - April 2, 1976

In a previous post, I discussed the "wedding that wasn't."  My fiancee and I called off the wedding one week before it was to take place in July 1974.  He seemed to be remorseful from the beginning that we did not marry, even though he was the one with cold feet.  I promised my Dad that we would never get married -- I believed it when I said it. 

Over the next two years, however, my "ex" made a lot of changes in his life to convince me that he regretted the decision and wanted to get married.  There is so much I could say (but choose not to) because I believe that he is entitled to his privacy and may see things differently.  I'll just say that my large family had become his family and that he really cared about all of us. 

So nearly two years after calling off our wedding, it was on again.  This time it was very much scaled-down and happened within two months of our decision.  We still had unused contracts with the photographer, florist, etc. and just called and rescheduled.  The date was practically determined by my sister, Karen.  She was scheduled to be married on April 10th and knew that she would be moving permanently to Florida.  I wanted her in the wedding and she said it would be impossible to turn around and return to Cincinnati any time soon.  So she suggested we get married the week BEFORE her scheduled wedding. 

In hindsight, I think that was an incredibly gracious offer on her part.  I'm not sure to this day that I should have taken her up on it.  Since, of course, we share the same aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends, many people would feel obligated to attend two family weddings eight days apart.  It would have been one thing if her long-planned wedding was the first one, but in fact, it was the second. 

I remember being very happy on my wedding day.  There was a lot to admire about my "ex" that I found attractive.  I always had this feeling that we could create beautiful and intelligent children together -- and that we did.

Why we split is one of those things most appropriately discussed in another forum.  I believe that when we married, it was definitely the right thing to do at the time. When we decided to divorce 3 1/2 years later, people would comment that it was too bad that we had not realized it would not work before we had a child.  I'm sure that I can speak for both of us when I say that that is the one thing that neither of us regrets.

Things happen for a reason.  I'm a better person because of it.  And best of all -- I have a beautiful daughter as a result of it who has enriched my life.  What could be wrong with that?

Brian and Shannon's Wedding

Shannon and Brian Jones

Their faces say it all!  Saturday, May 14th, my nephew, Brian, married his high school sweetheart.  What is amazing (and encouraging) is that their love for each other has survived taking time apart after high school graduation, Ohio State University, and moves to separate cities.  What a joyful day it was!



Dusty and Tim

 My purpose in writing this post is not so much to focus on the events of the day, but rather to include some pictures of my wonderful family.  Brian is the son of my brother, Tim, and his wife, Dusty.  Included in the wedding party was the sister of the groom, Lisa, her husband, Chip, and their older son, Will.  My great-niece, Savannah, was the flower girl.

Will and Savannah



 


 


Lisa and Will



Isaac, Chip and Lisa's youngest son, didn't seem to be too impressed about the rest of his family members participating in the wedding.  Here he is held by my niece, Tessa.


Of course, I have to include  pictures of my daughter, son-in-law, and grandson.

There are SO many pictures I would have liked to include.  My suggestion to other family members is that you click on this link should you want to see more.  Needless to say, all of us were thrilled to welcome Shannon to the Jones family.  Nothing could make us happier!



My brother, Ted, driving the newlyweds away in his 1949 Packard.